Ideological and Political Leadership in the New Era: The 2025 National Academic Symposium on Ideological and Political Education Held at Fujian Normal University
On May 25, 2025, the 15th National Academic Symposium on Ideological and Political Education was held at Fujian Normal University. This symposium was jointly hosted by the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Fujian Normal University. It was organized by the Department of Sinicization of Marxism Research at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, the School of Marxism at Fujian Normal University, and the CASS Think Tank for Innovation in Marxist Theory. Co-organizers included the editorial boards of Marxism Studies (《马克思主义研究》), Journal of Ideological and Theoretical Education (《思想理论教育导刊》), and Theory and Criticism (《理论与评论》), the School of Marxism at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and the Major Project Group on "Research on the Theoretical Innovation, Historical Origins, and Epochal Background of Xi Jinping's Thought on Culture." Experts and scholars from universities and research institutes—including CASS, Renmin University of China, Wuhan University, Fudan University, Sun Yat-sen University, Southwest University, and Central China Normal University—engaged in spirited and profound academic exchange and theoretical inquiry under the theme of "Ideological and Political Leading Power in the New Era."
At the opening ceremony, Professor Pan Yuteng, Party Committee Secretary of Fujian Normal University, delivered the welcoming address. Comrade Wu Weiping, member of the Education Work Committee of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Education, and Comrade Chen Wenzhang, member of the Leading Party Members Group and Vice Chairman (Inspector at the First Level [1]) of the Fujian Provincial Federation of Social Science Circles, delivered remarks on behalf of the Provincial Department of Education and the Provincial Federation of Social Science Circles, respectively. Researcher Xin Xiangyang, Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, delivered a speech and presented a keynote report. The opening ceremony was presided over by Researcher Chen Xiaohong, Deputy Party Committee Secretary of Fujian Normal University.
In his keynote report titled "Ideological and Political Leading Power from the Perspective of a Macro-View of History [2]," Xin Xiangyang provided an overview and interpretation of ideological and political leading power across four dimensions: significant importance, essential essence, rich connotation, and practical requirements. He argued that implementing the fundamental task of "fostering virtue through education" [3] (立德树人) is both the core of ideological and political leading power and an essential requirement of education. He pointed out that the key to implementing this fundamental task lies in the teaching corps. Teachers of ideological and political courses must use a macro-view of history to guide students in reflecting upon and understanding "why Marxism works." They must both empower education with digital technology and solidly cultivate their basic skills to meet the demands of ideological and political education in the New Era.
Following the opening ceremony, keynote reports were delivered by Professor Huang Rongheng, Director of the Southwest University Center for Research on Marxist Theory and former Party Committee Secretary of Southwest University; Professor Luo Yuting, Director of the Research Institute of Ideological and Political Education at Wuhan University and former Deputy Party Committee Secretary of Wuhan University; and Professor Zhang Guocuo, Director of the Research Center for China's Cultural Soft Power and former Deputy Director of the Theoretical Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department. These reports were presided over by Researcher Chen Zhigang, Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies.
During the first session of thematic reports, ten experts and scholars—including Professor Wan Meirong (Central China Normal University), Professor Gao Guoxi (Fudan University), Professor Wu Manyi (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China), Professor Wang Xisheng (Anhui Normal University), Professor Lin Jinping (Sun Yat-sen University), Professor Dong Hui (Huazhong University of Science and Technology), Professor Li Heliang (Ludong University), Professor Liu Xuanqi (Baise University), Researcher Liu Zhiming (CASS Institute of Philosophy), and Professor Liu Min (Gannan Normal University)—integrated the conference theme to provide in-depth expositions from various dimensions. These included the systems-theory perspective of "ideological and political leading power," the value-anchoring mechanism of technological affordance in digital ideological and political work, and the disciplinary nature of ideological and political education. This session was presided over by Liu Guizhen, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Ideological and Theoretical Education, and Professor Fu Huifang, Dean of the School of Marxism at Fujian Normal University.
In the second session of thematic reports, nine experts and scholars—including Professor Shi Hongmei (Xiamen University), Professor Yang Wei (Wuhan University), Professor Li Liaoning (Sichuan University), Professor Zhang Ruitao (China University of Petroleum), Professor Li Li (Jiangsu University), Professor Hou Yong (Jiangnan University), Professor Deng Guofeng (Guilin University of Electronic Technology), Professor Yao Chong (Northwestern Polytechnical University), and Professor Li Ruide (Fujian Normal University)—continued to present thematic reports on ideological and political leading power from different dimensions. This session was presided over by Researcher He Xinyuan, Director of the Department of Sinicization of Marxism Research at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, and Professor Li Chunhui, Deputy Party Committee Secretary and President of Inner Mongolia National Preschool Education College.
During the sub-forum stage, participating experts and scholars conducted discussions centered on five topics: "Theoretical Foundations, Basic Connotations, and Value Significance of Ideological and Political Leading Power"; "The 'Two Combinations' [4] and the Construction of an Independent Knowledge System for the Discipline of Ideological and Political Education"; "Ideological Education in Higher Education and the Enhancement of Ideological and Political Leading Power"; "New Media, New Technology, and the Enhancement of Ideological and Political Leading Power"; and "Research on the Spiritual Pedigree of Chinese Communists [5]." Summary presentations were delivered on behalf of the five sub-forums by Professor Wang Feng (Southwest University), Professor Luan Chunyu (Tianjin University), Professor Liu Yousheng (Fuzhou University), Professor An Qiaozhen (Hebei Normal University), and Associate Researcher Yang Binbin (CASS).
At the closing ceremony, Researcher Liu Ailing, Director of the Ideological and Political Education Research Office within the CASS Department of Sinicization of Marxism Research, provided a general summary of the conference, and Professor Yan Fen, Vice Dean of the School of Marxism at Fujian Normal University, provided a summary of the forums. Ruan Chuankan, Party Committee Secretary of the School of Marxism at Fujian Normal University, presented the symposium flag to the representative of the next host institution.